Blasphemous Abomination or Really Kinda Kewl? - Merging Roma Arcana and Banestorm

[combatmedic]

Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen

Also, I'm not sure how much Yrth "cares" about the Christianity vs Islam conflict. It seems to me that compared to my Ärth setting, religion is in no way meant to be a theme - one of the themes - of the setting, so it can be downplayed almost all the time, if the GM feels like it. Thus, if there is a problem, it's that some people are uncomfortable with the mere presence of real-world religions. Whcih is a deeply strange concept that I've encountered a few times before (interestingly, always in USAns or at least people who come across as being culturally North American).

I've never encountered any opposition to using real world religions in appropriate game settings, like fantasy-historicals and crossworld campaigns. That is, not in actual play or in discussion of play with my gaming friends.

I've really only ever seen it here on these forums, and only among a relatively few guys. I won't name names, but they might name themselves.
I'm not dumping on their opinions. Their inclinations and preferences are of course perfectly valid--just a matter of taste.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by combatmedic

I've never encountered any opposition to using real world religions in appropriate game settings, like fantasy-historicals and crossworld campaigns. That is, not in actual play or in discussion of play with my gaming friends.

I've really only ever seen it here on these forums, and only among a relatively few guys. I won't name names, but they might name themselves.
I'm not dumping on their opinions. Their inclinations and preferences are of course perfectly valid--just a matter of taste.

While I'm not offended by the use of real world (modern) religions, I do find polytheism a lot more fun for gaming purposes. The polytheistic gods generally have more distinct personalities.

[Hero of Canton]

ThanX for all the participation pards! FYI what I had in mind was NOT dropping a Roman country onto Yrth in general or Ytarria specifically,but rather to have Megalos being created by someone from Imperial Rome of the 3rd Century instead of the 11th Century Byzantine of Banestorm Canon. I would also substitute either Parthians or Persians who worship Zorastor and Mithra rather than Islamic Arabs of Canon.

Hero of Canton

[Hero of Canton]

OR I am also drawn to the idea of the Human Founders on Ytarria were either Xenophon's 10,000 or the "Lost" Ninth Legion that allegedly marched out of Eburacum late in the reign of Trajan never to return, but neither group would have had very many women with them...

I imagine it could even be both groups @ different times...

HoC

[combatmedic]

Originally Posted by Hero of Canton

ThanX for all the participation pards! FYI what I had in mind was NOT dropping a Roman country onto Yrth in general or Ytarria specifically,but rather to have Megalos being created by someone from Imperial Rome of the 3rd Century instead of the 11th Century Byzantine of Banestorm Canon. I would also substitute either Parthians or Persians who worship Zorastor and Mithra rather than Islamic Arabs of Canon.

Hero of Canton

So you are essentially erasing Al Haz and Al Wazif? Because Parthians and pre-Islamic Persians are very unlike the Muslim Arabs of the 11th century (despite Persian cultural influences on the Abbasids).

[combatmedic]

Originally Posted by Hero of Canton

Like the words on the wall ask: Has anyone tried creating a 4e Banestorm Campaign that uses the worked example campaign setting Roma Arcana from 4e Fantasy?

I'm currently in the process of working up a new campaign set on the continent Ytarria in the world of Banestorm 4e. The core concept is that the Banestorm did most of its heavy-duty bodysnatching NOT during the Middle Ages (as canonical Banestorm holds forth) but INSTEAD took place during Classical and Late Antiquity. This would give the setting a basis in the Hellenistic Zenith and Roman Pax Romana rather than the one with which it comes stock.

Questions? Comments? Ideas?

Hero of Canton

Further thoughts--



I wouldn't expect any of the nations on the canoncial maps to exist, except perhaps a greatly altered Megalos and somewhat altered Nomad Lands.

The 'pagan Celts' stuff in the Nomad Lands would actually make sense without the Banestorm reaching multiple Earths.


Is there any reason to stick with dwarves, elves, orcs, etc?

Maybe something more Roman or Greek would be in order? Centaurs, satyrs, giants, arimaspians, etc?